Headlight Question
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,384
Likes: 1,776
From: Central Texas
Headlight Question
Ok i had a low beam yesterday morning when I left the house and I stopped yesterday evening and killed the bike to talk on my cell phone, and when I turned the bike back on no low beam. High beam yes, low beam no. Now on the way home last night after dark about 70 MPH, I switched to low beam just for a split second to see the darkness and there was my low beam again. then this morning I had to run down town, and no low beam. So does this sound like low beam filament is broke and the twp pieces just happened to touch each other for a little bit on the way home last night? The reason I am asking is to find out if should buy another bulb, or get it checked out by my Indy first.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
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From: Great State of Texas
I'd start with the bulb first. After 11 years its probably shot or almost shot. I noticed yesterday pulling into Dairy Queen to get my salad for lunch something I had never paid attention to. During the day I ride with my high beam on. Pulling up to the plate glass I noticed that my high beam is actually the bulb in the lower portion of the headlight and the low beam is on top. I found that peculiar.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21,712
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From: Driftless Area
Back when headlights cost $17, I would stop someplace, buy one, and replace it in the parking lot.
Now that they cost $100, I ride home with the high beam, take it out when I get there, check first and/or replace it.
Now that they cost $100, I ride home with the high beam, take it out when I get there, check first and/or replace it.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,442
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From: South Carolina
I'd start with the bulb first. After 11 years its probably shot or almost shot. I noticed yesterday pulling into Dairy Queen to get my salad for lunch something I had never paid attention to. During the day I ride with my high beam on. Pulling up to the plate glass I noticed that my high beam is actually the bulb in the lower portion of the headlight and the low beam is on top. I found that peculiar.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 2,008
Likes: 788
From: Great State of Texas
Pretty common. When you think about it, it makes sense when you consider the reflector shape behind the bulb; the upper bulb/filament will bounce more off of the top section of the reflector and throw more light down, and vice versa on the lower. My LED bulbs were both like that on my last two bikes.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,872
From: Upstate New York
Ive had this happen to me. It turned out to be a bad connection right in the headlamp plug. The contacts had lost their spring and werent gripping the bulb reliably. A bit of work with needle nose pliers fixed it.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
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From: Santa Clarita
First thing I'd suspect would be the bulb connector...had those go bad before, more than once. Then I'd branch out to the H4 bulb, if so equipped. Those are typically about fifteen bux or less on line...not sure what they cost on the street...